Chicago (MDW) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MDW–PHX. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but June 2024 dropped to 65% — a gap of 25 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 7.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,444 mi
Best airline from MDW to PHX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 13 min | 1.0% | 5,456 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75% | 24 min | 1.4% | 361 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MDW to PHX
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 12 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 15 min |
| Friday | 76% | 14 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft46%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather2%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MDW to PHX delayed?
- 22% of MDW–PHX flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MDW to PHX?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 5,456 flights. 2 airlines flew MDW–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MDW to PHX?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MDW to PHX?
- The scheduled MDW–PHX flight time averages 3h 48m over 1,444 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are MDW to PHX flights cancelled?
- 1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MDW to PHX?
- June 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,817 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.